Dental Chair Anxiety and Dizziness

Understanding the Fear of the Dental Chair

There are many people out there who have an extreme fear of going to the dentist, and the idea of dental chair anxiety is not a new concept in the oral health world. In fact, this type of anxiety toward going to the dentist is so common that it is projected that almost 15 percent of Americans avoid going to the dentist at all because of their fears. Dental chair anxiety is also more common in older individuals who may have had bad experiences in the past when dental technology was not as advanced as it is today.

For some, dental chair anxiety can manifest itself as dizziness or even fainting, especially when patients stand up after sitting in the dentist’s chair for a long period of time during their procedure. In addition to being caused by increased anxiety, dizziness and fainting can also be caused by postural hypertension, or the combination of body position and low blood pressure. This most often occurs in patients when they go from a lying down position to a seated or standing position too quickly.

Some patients have even reported a dizzy feeling after receiving a tooth numbing treatment or shot. While this could also be a result of anxiety, it is most likely caused by the small amount of adrenalin that is found in most numbing medications. For those patients who find they are prone to feeling dizzy and even fainting in the dentist’s office, there are some solutions they can take advantage of. They first and foremost should discuss any concerns they have about these topics with their dental professional.

Dental professionals will be able to not only better understand their patient’s anxiety about different dental procedures, but they may also have some ways to calm the patient’s anxiety and even help prevent feelings of dizziness or even fainting. They may allow some additional time during the appointment to accommodate the patient’s needs, such as allowing him or her to take breaks or walk around, to help make the appointment a better experience and allow it to be as safe and successful as possible.

For many people, the fear of the unknown is what causes their anxiety about the dentist, such as not knowing what the dentist will find, what procedures need to be done, and whether or not those procedures will be painful. The best way to handle anxiety based on those circumstances is to have an open line of communication with the dentist and have him or her explain exactly what will take place. This can help to make patients feel more comfortable about going to the dentist.

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